by Kiki Swinson
“You know what? That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Rob his ass blind and see if he calls the cops again. I mean, what is he going to do, tell them I robbed him? Fuck no! He knows that I could back his ass into a corner just like he did me. So, let’s do it.” I gave Jillian the green light.
“So, when are you trying to do this? Cause, we can do it anytime. You don’t have to give him two weeks’ notice.”
“I know. But if we do it, we gotta do it later because right now, we don’t have shit in there. Whoever he had rob the place took all the good medicine. So let me find out when we get our next shipment and then we’ll go from there.”
“A’ight, well just let me know when.”
“I will,” I told her.
“Grandma, told me what your mama said,” Jillian pointed out.
“Yeah, but you know Grandma wasn’t trying to hear me tell her anything my mama had to say.”
“I just wish they would bury all that unnecessary bullshit and let’s make our family whole again.”
“I wish we could do it too.” I agreed.
“Have you heard from Terrell again?” Jillian changed the subject.
“Nah, and I’m glad too. He’s been acting really weird since I broke up with him.”
“He misses that good pussy!” Jillian said and chuckled.
“Stop, Jillian, it’s not funny. That guy needs some fucking help. Maybe take a trip to see Dr. Phil.”
“He’s just now realizing that he let a good thing go. That’s all.”
“So, you’re telling me it’s okay for him to come by my apartment and stalk me?”
“No, silly. I’m just trying to make light of the situation. You know I don’t like him and you know that I’m glad you’re not with him anymore. So loosen up.”
“I wish it was that easy. Speaking of which, I’m gonna lay my butt down. Today was exhausting.”
“A’ight. Well, hit me up tomorrow. And call me if your boss messes with you.”
“I will,” I assured her and then I ended the call.
14
I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT
I don’t know how, but I was able to get a good night’s rest. I got up, took a shower, got dressed, and then I fixed myself a bowl of instant oatmeal. I sat down in my living room and watched a little bit of TV while I ate my food. Five minutes into eating, my cell phone rang. I told myself that it couldn’t be anyone but Sanjay. The sounds of the ring made me dread answering it until I looked at the caller ID and saw that the call was coming from someone else. “Hello,” I said.
“Hi, may I speak with Misty Heiress?” a woman asked. The sound of her voice lifted a weight from my shoulders.
“This is she,” I replied.
“Hi, Misty, my name is Priscilla Binsley and I’m calling from High Health Pharmacy.
“Hi.”
“I’m calling you because you just applied for a position at our pharmacy so I was wondering if we could get you to come in for an interview?”
“Wow! That was fast.”
The lady chuckled. “We don’t waste anything around here,” she told me. “So, let me ask you, would you be able to come in tomorrow for an interview?”
“Absolutely.”
“Can you come in around twelve o’clock?”
“Can we make it two?”
“Yes, that’s fine. But do you know where we’re located?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do.”
“Okay. So, I guess that settles it. And when you get here, just ask for me.”
“I sure will. Thank you so much,” I said graciously. She had no idea how happy she just made me. The thought of leaving that fucking place and going over to that new job felt liberating. Some people would tell me not to get excited because I hadn’t gotten the job yet. And I would tell them to take their negative asses away from me, because I was getting that job by any means necessary.
I can’t lie. I used to love working for Sanjay. He really looked out for me in the beginning. He used to give me bonus checks. Gave me time off with pay. Let me go home early. He was a very generous man. But now that he was in cahoots with those other Middle Eastern guys, I don’t even know who he is anymore. I’m determined, now more than ever, that I’m not going to let him steal my joy. When I went to work, I was gonna act like nothing ever transpired between us, because I knew that after tomorrow, I was going to be out of there, and there was nothing he could do about it.
15
TIME TO START PLOTTING ON YOUR ASS
I tried to call my cousin Jillian on my way to work to give her the good news, but the tramp didn’t answer her phone. She always did that to me. I started to call my grandmother to see if Jillian was anywhere around her, but I decided against it. I figured she’d notice that I called her and she’d call me back.
When I pulled up outside the pharmacy, I parked in my normal spot and while I was heading into the pharmacy, I noticed that Sanjay’s car wasn’t parked in his usual place. I did, however, see his brother’s car and I wasn’t at all happy about that. His brother was a sneaky asshole. He never said more than four words to me every time we were in the same vicinity. I hoped he wouldn’t be around too long, because I couldn’t deal with his negative energy for long.
Shockingly, I noticed that we didn’t have any customers this morning. There were always at least two or three people waiting by the time I came in to work. I didn’t see Sanjay either. Normally he’d be standing behind the computer, processing prescription orders or ordering quantities of medicine so that we can restock our inventory. I did, however, see his brother. Surprisingly, he was standing behind the computer wearing Sanjay’s white medical jacket. This seemed pretty odd to me. His brother has never, ever stood behind the counter, acting like his brother. “Good morning.” I started the conversation.
“Good morning,” he replied in his Middle Eastern accent.
“Where is Sanjay?” I wanted to know.
“He had to leave town.”
“When did he leave town? I just saw him yesterday and he didn’t tell me anything about leaving.”
“We had a family emergency.”
“When will he be back?”
“He will be back tomorrow.”
I wanted to question him further about how his explanation didn’t add up. If Sanjay left for his native country, it would take him well over twenty-four hours to fly there and come back, so did his brother think that I was an idiot? I may not have a doctor’s degree, but I have common sense, and something is telling me that something is wrong with this picture. I did have one more question for him though. “When did Sanjay leave?”
“He left last night,” his brother replied. But I knew that was bullshit. Sanjay was hanging out around here somewhere. He could be in hiding too. Or maybe in jail because of the prescription-drug heist that he initiated. I wished I had that business card that the cop gave me. I would have called him immediately if I’d had it, because something wasn’t right, and I would figure it out.
After I hung up my handbag and jacket, I jumped on my computer and logged in so I could process all our new prescription orders. In my peripheral vision, I saw Amir watching me. This made me feel really uncomfortable so I turned around and said, “Do you need me to help you with something?”
“Oh no, I’m fine,” he said, and then turned his attention back to his computer screen.
“Can I ask what you’re doing?”
“My brother told me to order more prescription drugs because you guys don’t have any.”
“Yeah, I know,” I started off and then I said, “Did he tell you about the robbery?” I asked this to put him on the spot.
“Yes, he told me. That’s why I am here to send out new orders.”
“Do you know how to do that?”
“Yes. He showed me how to do it a long time ago. I did it before you started working here.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes, I used to work here before you came. And when I left here to start an
other business my brother hired you.”
“Oh, wow, I didn’t know that.”
“Yes, this is part of my store too. I’m his partner.”
“So, what other businesses do you have?” I continued to question him because this was the only time I’d been able to get him to say more than four words. This conversation was quite interesting.
“I own a gas station.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah. My wife works there sometimes.”
“Is that a good business to get into?”
“It’s okay. It pays the bills.”
“That’s all that counts, right?” I commented because in reality I couldn’t care less about him, his family, or how he pays his bills. He’s an asshole and I didn’t want no parts of him, his brother, or the other men that smacked them both around recently. These were some shady individuals, so the faster I got out of there, the better I would be.
I cut my conversation off with Amir immediately after one of our regular customers came through the door. After I took the prescription from the customer, I started processing it. I carried on a little small talk with the customer so I wouldn’t have to say anything else to Amir. My plan went well, because once I was done processing the first order, another customer came walking in. The steady traffic went on all day, and boy was I happy about it. When I look back at it, Amir and I really didn’t talk for the rest of the day. And by the time my shift was over, I didn’t waste any time leaving. When I turned around to tell Amir that I was about to leave for the day, he was on his cell phone. And he was talking quietly, so I couldn’t tell if he was talking to Sanjay or his wife or anyone else, for that matter. “It’s about that time for me to leave,” I whispered to him, trying not to interrupt his phone conversation.
He turned around in my direction, muffled his phone and said, “Okay, have a nice day.”
“Are you gonna be here tomorrow?” I asked him.
“Yes, I will be here tomorrow.”
“Do you know what time Sanjay is coming back?”
“It will be tomorrow night.”
“Okay, well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” he said, and then he carried on with his phone conversation.
* * *
Instead of going straight home, I went through the Panera Bread drive-through to order myself a sandwich and a bowl of soup, and then I headed to my grandmother’s house. Unfortunately, when I got there my cousin Jillian wasn’t there. Once again, I came over to see her and she wasn’t there. I knew she was with one of her seedy-ass prescription-drug-peddling friends and they were getting high, because that’s her MO. I wished she would just straighten her life out, because there is more to life than getting high off prescription drugs all day, every day. Speaking of my mother going for rehab, Jillian needed to go to one herself. I’m gonna remind her of that the next time I see her so she doesn’t end up an addict like my mother.
My grandmother was sitting in her normal spot and watching the news channel when I walked into the den to greet her. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and asked her how she was doing.
“What is that you have in the bag?” she inquired.
“Soup and a sandwich that I got from this place called Panera Bread.”
“Oh yeah, heard about that place,” my grandmother told me.
“So how are you, Grandma?” I asked while I placed my food on the coffee table in front of me.
“My arthritis hurts me from time to time. And my sugar levels have gone up some, but other than that I feel great.”
“What kind of arthritis medicine are you taking?”
“That mess you bought me like a month ago.”
“Oh yeah, I know which one you’re taking. It’s not helping you?”
“Sometimes it does and sometimes it don’t.”
“I’m gonna have to take a look at that and see if I can find you something stronger. I don’t want you sitting around here hurting while I have access to those meds.”
“Don’t be doing anything illegal, girl,” my grandmother warned me.
“Come on, Grandma, you know I am not into that mess.”
“You better not be, because I will put you over my knees and give you a good beating myself.”
I chuckled and said, “Boy, do I remember those beatings you used to give me.”
She cracked a smile and said, “I used to do Jillian the same way.”
“Yeah, we were terrible back in the day, huh?”
“Yes, you were. But you’re doing good now and that’s all that matters.” My grandmother changed the subject and said, “Spoke to your mama today?”
“No, I haven’t. But I’m gonna call her before I go to bed tonight.”
“When you talk to her, tell I said hello.”
I smiled at my grandmother’s gesture. But before I could make a comment, my cousin Jillian walked into the house and came straight to the den where my grandmother and I were sitting. She smiled when she saw me. “Hey, favorite cousin!” she said as she walked toward me.
“Don’t be saying, “Hey, cousin to me because you don’t be treating me right,” I told her, and then I took a bite of my sandwich.
Jillian sat next to me and gave me the biggest smile she could muster up. “You know I love you, right? I love both of y’all. And I would hurt somebody if they tried to hurt y’all,” she said while she flickered her eyelids. She leaned her head back against the sofa and then she closed her eyes.
“Have you given her any pills lately? Because she’s acting like she’s high,” my grandmother questioned me. I could tell that she was not a happy camper.
Jillian leaned forward, opened her eyes, and started smiling once again. “You know, Grandma, she hasn’t given me anything. And I’m not high either. I’m just tired.”
“Jillian, don’t lie to me. I know what high looks like and you, young lady, are high,” my grandmother replied. She knew what she was talking about. Jillian was looking a little woozy. My grandmother knew that I worked at a pharmacy so I could be the only person giving her the drugs. I was becoming more and livid with her by the second. I hit her on her thigh and said, “Will you please tell Grandma that I don’t give you any prescription drugs?”
“I don’t need her to tell me anything. I know what’s going on. I hear her talking to you on the phone all the time about bringing her a few pills here and there,” my grandmother spat.
“Grandma, it’s not that serious,” Jillian protested, as her words began to slur.
“Jillian, just be quiet,” I interjected, because all she was doing was making the situation worse. My grandmother was not a naïve lady. All the stuff my mother and uncle put her through these past years had made her a very smart woman. She could see bullshit from two miles away.
“She sure better be quiet,” my grandmother agreed.
“I’m not trying to argue with y’all. I’m going to my room,” Jillian said and then she got up from the sofa.
“Misty, follow her to her bedroom before she falls and hurts herself.”
“Okay, Grandma.” I got up from the sofa.
I followed Jillian to the bedroom and made sure that she got on her bed safely. I fussed at her about coming into the house all drugged up, but I knew she didn’t understand what I was saying. So I covered her with a blanket and then I exited her bedroom.
I dreaded going back downstairs because I knew my grandmother was gonna fuss at me because of Jillian’s prescription drug habit. But there was no way around it, so I put on a brave face and walked back into the den.
“I’m gonna need you to stop givin’ her those drugs.”
“Grandma, I’m not giving her any prescription drugs,” I lied, even though I knew my grandmother didn’t believe me. I even gave her the most sincere facial expression I could. It didn’t work though.
“Let me tell you something,” she started off. “I hear almost every conversation you and your cousin have. She puts you on speakerphone when you two call e
ach other, so I know what goes on.”
Blindsided by my grandmother’s confession, I sat there like a dog with my tail between my legs. I really didn’t know what else to say. She caught me red-handed. So how could I talk myself out of this? Nothing I said was going to change her mind, so I sat there and listened to her chastise me.
“I’m telling you right now that if you don’t stop giving her those prescription drugs, I am going to stop you from coming over here. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Grandma, I understand.”
After my grandmother gave me a piece of her mind, I realized that I had lost my appetite and could not eat the rest of my food. She and I exchanged a few more words and then I kissed her and told her that I would come by in a couple of days to see her. She said okay and then I made my exit.
I reflected back on the conversation I had my grandmother concerning my cousin Jillian. She was right. I shouldn’t be giving Jillian anything, because it would make her life worse than it already was. Jillian was not going to be happy about it, but she would be all right in the end.
16
SOMETHING SMELLS LIKE A RAT
The following morning, I still felt kind of bad that I’d let my grandmother down by giving my cousin Jillian prescription drugs. My grandmother meant everything to me. So, when I saw the hurt in her face, I knew I was doing something wrong. Now I had to get back in her good graces. I didn’t care how I was going to do it, all I knew was that it would get done.
On my way to work, I got a call from Jillian, but I refused to answer it. She threw me underneath the bus last night, coming in the house high, so I was going to put her on ice for now. If I felt good about talking to her later, then I would.
Being forewarned that Sanjay wasn’t going to be at work today, made me wonder how my day was going to go. I really disliked his brother, but working with him yesterday was not as bad as I’d thought it would be. I wanted to do my work and end the day on a nice note. I hoped today went the same way, because if it didn’t, I’d walk out of there without even looking back. My sanity was more important than working in a toxic environment. I have only one life, and I will live it to the best of my ability.